1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle-mounted navigation apparatus that displays the current position of a vehicle, in which the apparatus is mounted, on an on-screen map so as to enable the driver to navigate along a guided route. More particularly, it relates to a vehicle-mounted navigation apparatus capable of using functions other than navigation functions by loading a program other than a navigation program into a memory and executing it without deleting the navigation program.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, a vehicle-mounted navigation apparatus, which displays the current position of a vehicle, in which the apparatus is mounted, on an on-screen map so as to enable the driver to navigate along a guided route, comprises a CD-ROM for storing map data, a flash memory for storing a navigation program (i.e., CPU program), and a DRAM or the like disposed as a work area for storing map data, program variables, and so on. In the prior art vehicle-mounted navigation apparatus, program loading is carried out in order to update the navigation program, and by transferring a program for program rewriting to a memory other than the flash memory, i.e., the DRAM, the navigation program stored in the flash memory can be rewritten. Furthermore, the navigation program is loaded into the DRAM and is then made to run.
Furthermore, in the prior art vehicle-mounted navigation apparatus, a navigation apparatus user""s manual is offered in printed pamphlet form, or is offered, as help facilities, by a user""s manual providing function of the navigation program. While the printed pamphlet cannot provide an explanation for the navigation apparatus using video, voice, etc., the user""s manual providing function can provide an explanation for the navigation apparatus using video, voice, etc. and is effective in making the user easier to learn how to use the navigation apparatus.
A problem with a prior art vehicle-mounted navigation apparatus constructed as mentioned above is that since in order to update the navigation program, the previous version of the navigation program stored in the flash memory or the DRAM is rewritten with a new version, the previous version of the navigation program has to be loaded into the flash memory again so as to make the navigation program stored prior to the rewriting run again, and it is therefore necessary to load the previous version of the navigation program into the flash memory or the DRAM again after the execution of the loaded new program is ended.
Furthermore, another problem is that when the navigation program includes a navigation apparatus user""s manual providing function, since it is necessary to reduce the size of the user""s manual providing function because of the capacity of the flash memory, the memory size used for video, voice, etc. is limited and therefore the user""s manual providing function cannot have enough information. Other programs, such as a program for checking the navigation apparatus, a program for conducting a demonstration of the navigation apparatus, a program for enabling the navigation apparatus to be used as a game machine, a program for enabling users to make use of the Internet, etc., suffer from the same drawback.
The present invention is proposed to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle-mounted navigation apparatus capable of, by loading a program other than a navigation program into a memory without deleting the navigation program and starting the loaded program, preventing the navigation program from being loaded into the memory again.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle-mounted navigation apparatus capable of using functions other than navigation functions with efficiency.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle-mounted navigation apparatus comprising: a first memory for storing a navigation program; and a second memory that is rewritable, for storing a program other than the navigation program so as to enable the program stored therein to be executed without deleting the navigation program stored in the first memory. According, since the navigation program is not destroyed even though another program is loaded into the navigation apparatus and therefore it is not necessary to load the navigation program again after the loaded program is ended, the aspect of the present invention offers advantages of being able to eliminate re-loading of the navigation program and to use the navigation apparatus for purposes other than originally intended.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle-mounted navigation apparatus further comprises a third memory for storing one or more programs other than the navigation program and a main loader, and one of the one or more programs stored in the third memory is loaded into the second memory and is made to run by using the main loader. Accordingly, the program to be loaded can have a large capacity.
The one or more programs can include a program for providing a navigation apparatus user""s manual including voice and images. Accordingly, by loading the navigation apparatus user""s manual providing program into the second memory, the navigation apparatus can provide an easy-understand explanation of the user""s manual including images, moving images, and voice for the user even though the navigation program does not include such a navigation apparatus user""s manual providing program. In addition, the navigation apparatus user""s manual providing program can provide the latest version of navigation apparatus user""s manual for the user. The navigation apparatus user""s manual providing program can also add a function of providing a navigation apparatus user""s manual to any model of navigation apparatus without such a function.
The one or more programs can include a program for checking the navigation apparatus. Accordingly, by loading the checking program into the second memory, the navigation apparatus can check itself even though the navigation program does not include such a checking program. In addition, the checking program can check the navigation apparatus with the latest version of its checking function. The checking program can also add a function of checking the navigation apparatus to any model of navigation apparatus without such a function.
The one or more programs can include a program for performing a demonstration of the navigation apparatus. Accordingly, by loading the demonstration program into the second memory, the navigation apparatus can conduct a demonstration of itself even though the navigation program does not include such a checking program. In addition, the demonstration program can conduct a demonstration of the navigation apparatus with the latest version of its demonstration function. The demonstration program can also add a function of conducting a demonstration of the navigation apparatus to any model of navigation apparatus without such a function.
The one or more programs can include a game program for enabling the navigation apparatus to be used as a game machine. Accordingly, by loading the game program into the second memory, the user is allowed to use the navigation apparatus as a game machine.
The one or more programs can include a program for enabling users to make use of the Internet. Accordingly, by loading the Internet program into the second memory, the user is allowed to use the navigation apparatus to make use of and access the Internet.